


Fading Reality

by ArizonaDelights



Series: Dreams of Tomorrow [1]
Category: Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 5
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Elements from the Lost on Mars DLC, Explicit Language, F/M, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Morally Ambiguous Character, Pre-Canon, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Worldbuilding, something must be going on, this world had a nuclear war
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:06:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28995708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArizonaDelights/pseuds/ArizonaDelights
Summary: Mary Thomas is a woman of science, but some things are just hard to believe in. She arrives in Hope County with a purpose in mind, finding Larry Parker and continuing with her research. She did not ask for weird visions of the apocalypse or a whole family convinced she’s some harbinger of evil.But one thing is certain.She’s getting out.
Relationships: John Seed/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Dreams of Tomorrow [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127078
Kudos: 1





	Fading Reality

  


> _Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying._

_Arthur C. Clarke_

* * *

It was a rainy morning, the sky was a dead gray color and the sound of chattering students filled the hall.

“I don’t think I’ll come back next semester” Mary heard someone say as she increased her pace around the students towards the office on the fourth floor. “With everything going on, ma’s worried I’ll end up in jail or something” it was a young voice, more than likely a freshman whose parents were not ready to accept their child was a grown up now.

“ Man, you’re lucky you are not in jail, my cousin's friend went to one of those mass protests in downtown Boston, he ended up arrested, I tell you. In fucking prison dude, world is crazy” 

More voices filled the cramped hall and Mary was done, she started pushing against the bodies with more force than necessary. Her mood was soured and she had no time for niceties. 

Last night Mary received a call from the head of the astrophysics department, the government was terminating one of her projects due to lack of progress. Unable to sleep she trashed her room and strategized possible scenarios to save her life’s research. During her lowest point of the night, while eating cheese from a tub in her underwear, she came to the conclusion that she had to swallow her pride and ask for help.

She thought the government representatives were inconsiderate selfish bastards. Her life’s work was that project and terminating it was not part of her plans. Her younger self would have had a heart attack if she realized what kind of research she was going to be involved in. The thrill of discovering new components was fantastic and the secrecy only fueled her drive. Failure was not an option.

It all started when she finished her masters degree, top of her class of course. She and two other students were recruited to lead a project involving a rare metal extracted from a meteorite that crash landed in the coast of Maine. The piece of metal, weighing no more than ten pounds and always enclosed in a bulletproof glass, was a masterpiece of nature. The readings it gave were off the chart, stronger than anything ever found on earth and yet still malleable enough when in contact with certain alloys. A new element from outer space, which they named Ublian, and she, Mary Thomas was working with it. If she could forget about all the NDAs she had to sign, she would brag to anyone willing to listen. This was the project that would kick start her career and she was ready to fight for it.

It was a sweet deal at first, Mary and the other two were in charge of the whole project, they had the newest equipment and the best health care plan. Even access for their families to those luxurious bunkers in the coast of San Francisco. The three graduates built a satellite using Ublian, it was capable of tracking in live signals that came from enemy ground, or anyone really. 

A suspicious movement from the White House to Zhongnanhai, tracked. 

10 Downing Street increased communication with Moscow, tracked and investigated.

People planning to mass protest the rationing in downtown Boston, tracked and detained.

Mary’s two partners, Sonia and Larry, grew scared of the project. She thought they were cowards, they lost sight of what was important and left. Larry was the first to go and the first to protest the use of Ublian, he even tried to steal it but was arrested. Sonia left because of Larry, she didn’t want to end up like him, so she resigned. Mary was the only one left and that should have been her first clue that something was going south.

Their Benefactor grew greedy, asking for more and giving less. She could not bear the pressure, she worked on her own for two years until she caved in. Two mental breakdowns later and one official leave, she was back and ready to fight for the project, after all, they were the good guys.

They were protecting the people, right?

Sometimes even from themselves.

* * *

“ Mary, I don’t think you understand what you are asking” Linda said, passing Mary the note with the whereabouts of Sonia. “ I will put my neck on the line, I could lose my job” Linda’s brown eyes were nested in deep wrinkled flesh accentuating her displeasure.

Linda’s office on the fourth floor was spacious and bland. No pictures, colors or anything really. It was a dull office belonging to a scared woman. Mary had heard that the department of defense was cracking down on the head of astrophysics, stealing projects and swiping up promising students. One of the researchers working for Mary used to say that Linda’s career was ruined and buried, with too many projects down the drain nobody wanted to be associated with her name. 

Even if Linda’s name was dragged in mud, she still held sway with the higher ups. For that reason only, Mary bear to be associated with the woman.

“ Of course I know it Linda and I’m grateful for what you’re doing. I just need to find Larry…. An exchange of ideas… you know” she tucked the note inside her purse and gathered her things. As she was about to reach the door Linda’s hand shot towards Mary, gripping her wrist tightly.

“ It's been two years Mary, do you really think he’s still researching it ?” Linda lowered her voice, crunching closer to her. Their foreheads separated by an inch, Linda stared at her eyes as if looking for something.

Seconds passed, then a minute. As if resigning herself Linda whispered. “Ublian is magnificent ... but I would hardly risk my life for it. “

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing”

“For your sake I hope you do”

* * *

As soon as her meeting with Linda ended Mary called Sonia. To her surprise she agreed to talk with her on the same day. 

Sonia set up the meeting at a Mediterranean bar close to the business district, by the time Mary arrived the place was packed by hungry workers and her former partner was already there. The waitress led her to a booth on the second floor, where they could enjoy a more private conversation.

Anxiously, she walked slowly towards Sonia. The last time she saw her, she was a wreck. Two years later and the woman remained the same, like a picture frozen in time. Twitching in the seat and tapping her fingers against the table.

Mary sat down, startling Sonia, her bloodshot eyes following her movement.

“Oh you are here, thank goodness.” Squeaked Sonia while holding Mary’s hands in her own trembling hands. She was out of breath, her black curl sticking to her forehead. “ I didn’t believe you when you called, it must have been destiny.” 

Mary removed Sonias hands from her own, and settled in the seat in front of the other woman. Faintly, she wondered if Sonia had started using something. She was used to the other woman’s less than stellar behavior but nothing too erratic. 

“You started hearing it didn’t you?...Right?... that must be why you called” Sonia rummaged through her purse, looking for something. 

“What, no I …. um .. Sonia ?”

“ Here it is” exclaimed the other woman, in her hands a black notebook. She flipped through the pages, unbothered. “That thing Mary, the woman. You’ve heard it right?”

Sonia's behavior was drawing the attention of the other diners.

“Sonia, is this a good moment?” Whispered Mary, 

Growing serious, Sonia stared at Mary. She must have realized something, and said “Oh…. you don’t know, do you?”

The previous mood died, leaving way for a tense atmosphere. Growing frustrated by Sonia's behavior, Mary decided to land the conversation in common ground. 

“ How have you been Sonia? It’s been a long time, almost three years”

“Oh Mary, if it was up to you we will never meet again.” Hissed Sonia, openly glaring at her, putting the notebook back inside her purse. Now, that was the behavior Mary was used to. She could deal with a snappy Sonia, better than a frantic one.

“Come on don’t be harsh” groaned Mary while moving the spice shakers. “Listen, I know we haven’t talked much, but I've been very busy” stopping her movement, she breathed slowly and whispered “ You know...with the thing. I’m actually in the middle of a breakthrough“ 

Sonia hummed, her scrutinizing gaze following Mary. She lifted one eyebrow as if to say _so what_ _._

Calmly, Mary straightened her back and continued with a firm voice. “ I might need a fresh perspective”

Sonia gave a deep belly laugh, startling Mary. She clasped her hands together in front of her heart, she was amused and replied. “You are asking for my help?”

“Well, I was hoping you could tell me about Larry’s location” chuckled Mary. nervously she passed her fingers through her hair.

“Larry” huffed Sonia incredulously .

“Yes”

“Good, I’m not getting involved in that crap again.” Declared Sonia, fidgeting with the buttons on her blazer. “But I won’t betray his privacy”

“Sonia, this is important, we are talking about protecting people” implored Mary. She took Sonias hands, and hissed sharply. “Don’t you realize we are preventing a _nuclear threat”_

“Oh how nice, you are still crazy”

“You can say all you want, but you can’t deny the truth” 

“I don’t know Mary, what we did was pretty bad, after I resigned I decided to leave that kind of life behind. I got a dog, did some CrossFit, I knew that if I stayed hung up about the project my life would be on hold” said Sonia, she rummaged through her purse, taking out the same black notebook she showed her a moment ago. ”Hell, my life’s been crazy right now”

“Yes, a woman you said” Mary drew closer to Sonia, anticipating her answer.

“I’ve been having nightmares.”

“The Larry kind of nightmares?” asked Mary.

“No, it’s something different” urged Sonia, reluctant to admit the cause of her nightmares, she showed the woman in front of her some drawings from the notebook. Staring back at her was a drawing of Mary herself clad in green and covered in blood.

“What’s this?” stuttered Mary, she flipped through the other woman’s notebook. Pages upon pages depicting grim pictures of gore and blood. Limbs and dead bodies scattered around her. Her furious face covered in blood gave her a fright. In the drawing she looked bad, brown messy hair and gray eyes staring back at her, a gun in her hands. She was the picture of righteous fury.

_Why would Sonia dream about her?_

_Did she finally snap?_

_Just, why?_

“Okay, nightmares aside, you know me. I would never do something like that” said Mary, closing the notebook and giving it back to Sonia. “In fact, you could say I’m something of a pacifist.”

The other woman huffed. “ You, really?.... whatever, this thing has been driving me crazy”

“ Yeah, now I see. We haven’t seen each other in two years and all that while you’ve been having some kind of kinky dreams about me” blurted Mary, this wasn’t what she signed for. She gave a deep breath and continued. “Just tell me where Larry is “

“Please…?”

Sonia resigned herself to Mary’s obtrusive nature.

“He called me a month ago, he moved from Seattle to a little town in Montana. He and Ann send their regards by the way” said Sonia humorously, no doubt mocking Larry’s relationship with the mystery lady.

“He calls you?”

“Yes Mary, I do maintain healthy relationships.”

“What’s the town called?”

“It’s some hick county in the middle of nowhere. Listen, don’t bother him, he’s been through enough. Just do your thing and leave”

“Where is it Sonia?”

“Hope County, Montana”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and thanks for reading!!! This work was born after many hours of playing Fallout 4 and wondering, just what was going on in the Far Cry universe that resulted in a nuclear threat. I’m not a native-english speaker so grammar notes are alway welcome.
> 
> Next chapter we'll have Mary arriving in Hope County and reuniting with familiar faces.


End file.
